The sight of the train in the station as they approached on the carriages was enough to make her heart ache. If it wasn't for the bickering happening next to her, Valkyrie wasn't sure if she would have cried or not. Kenspeckle, grumpy at having being woken so early, was blaming Skulduggery for every occurrence under the sun, not least his 'corruption' of Valkyrie.

"…used to be such a pleasant girl, I'll bet, and then you come in and know she's fighting and beating people up and getting herself beaten up and I'll be damned if I'm going to stand for it…" Blah blah blah. Valkyrie loved Kenspeckle, she did, but the only thing stopping his moaning from getting annoying now was the look of absolute boredom on Skulduggery's façade that seemed to keep her entertained.

The thestrals pulled the carriage to a stop at the station, making Valkyrie's heart sink just a little further. How could so much emotion be attached to one place? Let alone a place she hadn't been in for that long. 1 year. That's all it had been. Why did it feel so much longer?

"Because you know what you're going back to. At least, if this plan of your works. Which it won't, by the way."

'Thanks for that ultimately wise input.' Valkyrie replied inside her head, rolling her eyes.

"You're welcome." Darquesse replied smugly. Valkyrie sighed and put her hat on her head. Her hat was only a year old too – Skulduggery had given it to her on the train ride there, and now she was wearing it on the train ride back. She shuddered, grey clouds threatening to rain, as if the day couldn't get any worse.

The first Ravenclaw prefect they had met, right at the very beginning, was the one to escort them to their compartment in the prefects carriage. Their bags had already been loaded for them on the rail above her head as she sat down, closest to the window, Skulduggery across from her, Kenspeckle next to her. Like a private escort. Ireland was her home, she knew that. But this place, well, it would always be special. Gordon would have loved it. He would. He might even have wrote a book on it. Maybe a series of books, after all, Valkyrie knew Harry had had other experiences. And he was only in fifth year. The book series might even have spread over seven books…

Valkyrie shook her head. If that were true, her own life might as well have been a book. She'd had plenty of dangerous 'adventures' with Skulduggery after all. 7 big ones so far.

But of course, that was silly. Who would want to turn her life, or Harry's life for that matter, into a book series? She shook her head dismissively and looked out of the window.

She watched the students filing inside, waving goodbye. She spotted the half-giant, Hagrid, waving them off from the station platform, and the train gave an ear splitting whistle and a lurch forwards before setting off.

Valkyrie continued to look out of the window, even when the station was gone from sight. She wondered if she would be able to see the castle in the distance, but she couldn't. She sighed and turned her head to face her fellow passengers, tuning back in to the conversation.

"…Dr Nye! What a creature! I cannot believe I was replaced by that!..." Valkyrie tuned out again. There didn't seem much point in listening. She folded her arms and sunk a little more into her chair before she realised Kenspeckle was talking to her.

"You shouldn't slouch you know, it's bad for your posture." He stated.

"I know." She replied. She didn't move though, and a smile tugged at the corners of Skulduggery's mouth, which of course, Kenspeckle didn't miss.

"I blame you for this." He declared.

"Oh, but of course." Skulduggery nodded, and Kenspeckle scowled before looking back at him.

"It's strange you having a face again. What happened there then? Some dark dangerous magic I presume?"

"Not at all. Merely a symbol that when tapped activates a façade."

"Hmph. Why not wear it in the school?"

"A magic barrier prevented me from doing so."

"Is that so? How very convenient. I'm betting you can guess what I'm implying."

"I have the feeling you'll tell me anyway."

"Walking around a school full of young people!" Kenspeckle continued "It's completely ridiculous!" Valkyrie stood.

"I'm gonna… you know, go find the others." She escaped the carriage before Kenspeckle or Skulduggery could grab her back. Kenspeckle would probably blame Skulduggery form letting Valkyrie be so reckless as to walk on a moving train ('as if that's dangerous' Valkyrie thought with a roll of her eyes) and Skulduggery would probably want her to suffer the wrath of Kenspeckle along with her. Well, at least Kenspeckle hadn't had the opportunity to put him in a pink fluffy bunny hospital gown again.

Valkyrie smirked as she walked. Ah, good memories. Good, hilarious, memories. She was glad Kenspeckle had a soft spot for her. She certainly wouldn't have been able to cope with him if he hadn't.

She found Harry, Hermione and Ron in the same compartment and knocked on the door lightly. Harry looked up and smiled slightly at her, so she took that as an invitation to come in. She opened the door and closed it behind her, sitting next to him on the seat.

"Sorry," she said "didn't mean to interrupt."

"We weren't talking about much anyway." Hermione muttered, which instantly told Valkyrie they had been talking about something. She sighed.

"So," Harry asked "Where's Skulduggery?"

"Suffering the wrath of Kenspeckle." They looked at her "He's being yelled at – Kenspeckle thinks that Skulduggery has corrupted me." Valkyrie grinned. Harry smiled lightly at her, but he still looked devastatingly tired. She didn't think he'd be recovering for quite a while. If you ever could fully recover that was.

"So, has anyone got plans for the holidays?" She asked. She'd broken their last conversation, the least she could do was try to start another one.

"My brother Charlie's coming over from Romania. He studies dragons there." Ron said with almost a proud tone.

"Cool!" Valkyrie grinned "I've never seen a dragon before."

"They're ok, until they start chasing you."

"That applies to everything though Ronald." Hermione said with a sigh. Valkyrie leant back in her chair slowly. She was already beginning to feel uncomfortable. Why was it that on the last day she might ever see them they were acting awkward again? She sighed before a light tap on the door made her turn her head. She looked up and Skulduggery opened the door.

"Apologies on arriving so soon after you left, but I'm afraid Kenspeckle wants you back, Valkyrie."

"Kenspeckle wants me back, or you want me back to defend you against Kenspeckle."

"Both." Skulduggery replied, tipped his hat to the others, and left. She sighed and stood.

"Well. Take care of yourselves. Don't do anything stupid over the summer."

"Stupid? Us?" Ron said with a light smile. Valkyrie returned the smile, and then left.

"Later guys."

"Bye Valkyrie." The door shut behind her and Hermione turned to Harry.

"Are you really going to take up her offer?" She asked. Harry leant back in his seat.

"I'm not sure." He replied eventually "If I have to, yes. With Voldemort still out there, it's good to have options."

"Well, you come to the Burrow first mate. I mean, mum won't even mind if you stay with us for the summer. Honest she won't." Ron said, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees.

"I don't think it's a good idea." Hermione said, turning her head to face Harry, who seemed to be deep in thought. "The wizard and the sorcerer world aren't supposed to mix, otherwise they would have done it already. We're too different."

"We've been getting along fine." Harry said immediately. "I don't see what you have against them." Hermione sat up defensively.

"I don't have anything against them." She said "I just don't think it's a good idea to be going to someone's house when you hardly even know them. Not to mention it's a different country."

"It's Ireland!"

"Doesn't matter."

"Hermione!" She looked at him, saw the anger on his face. "I know why you're upset." He fumed "It's because you couldn't figure out her secret, you don't know who she is or what she does or where she comes from – it's something you don't know, so you just can't be comfortable with it."

"It is not that!" She said back defiantly, but also hurt.

"What is it then?!" Hermione stared with slightly narrowed eyes, her lips slightly parted. Why was he so defensive? 'There you go again Hermione' she thought to herself 'asking questions instead of addressing the real issue'. She didn't say anything to Harry, but instead sighed, and leant back in her chair, not looking at him, and not saying anything.

She knew he was upset. Of course he was, he'd lost his Godfather. Voldemort was out there. There was going to be a fight. It was just one thing on top of another on top of another, never ending it seemed. He just needed to take his anger out on something, or someone. Still, why did that someone have to be her? She heard Harry slump in his own seat, and Ron chose the moment to speak up.

"So," he muttered, "what are we going to do? About you-know-who, I mean." There as a brief moment of silence.

"We've got a fight ahead of us." Harry said, quietly, but strongly, like he truly believed it "But we've got one thing that Voldemort doesn't have."

"What's that?" Hermione asked quietly, still not looking at him as rain began to strike the window.

"Something worth fighting for."


Valkyrie hugged Seamus goodbye.

"Thanks for everything Seamus. Thank you too, Mrs Finnigan. If it wasn't for you, I don't know what would have happened." Mrs Finnigan nodded understandingly and hugged her.

"Take care dear. You too, Detective."

"We'll do our best." Skulduggery tipped his hat to her, and Valkyrie smiled sadly before stepping away.

"Thanks again." She said,

"Bye Stephanie," Seamus said, and she winced internally.

"Bye Seamus. Bye Mrs Finnigan."

"Bye dear. If your mother needs anything tell her to come and see me."

"Will do." She picked up her back and gave a little wave before turning and following Skulduggery down the street. He was carrying his own suitcase by the handle. They had taken a detour, dropped Kenspeckle off at the Hiberian Cinema before apparating to just outside of the Finnigan house. The reason for this? The Bentley was parked just around the corner.

They turned the corner, and there she was, the old girl. Skulduggery spread his one free arm out.

"Ah! There she is! Ghastly better not have gotten a single scratch on it, or he's in trouble."

"Ghastly will have taken care of it, don't worry." Despite her roll of the eyes, she was glad to see the sleek black car again. It was like an old friend she'd not seen for years. She couldn't wait to get back to it.

She took off her jacket and opened her bag. Carefully folding the jacket, she grabbed a jumped from the bag and threw it on, putting the jacket delicately inside. On top of it, she put her hat, and then she closed the bag up again and gave it to Skulduggery to put in the boot to put back in the boot. She got in the passenger seat and sank into the material, almost absorbing the smell, the sight the very feel of it against her. She'd missed that feel.

Skulduggery got in the seat beside her, and the sheer familiarity was enough to make her head feel light. But the feeling was soon pushed aside. She was going home. Seeing her family for the first time since the 'accident'. She wondered how the sheer knowledge of her participation wouldn't drive her crazy every time she looked at them.

Skulduggery started the engine and that familiar smooth purr pricked at her ear drums as the car moved gently forwards onto the road, and then they were off, driving through the night. They didn't say much to each other, but Valkyrie figured there wasn't much to say. After all, they been talking – or, rather Kenspeckle had been talking to them – for the whole train ride, which had taken all day. What time was it now? 10? 11? Later? She didn't know. It felt like later. She was exhausted. It was only when they reached the gates of Gordon's estate that Skulduggery started a conversation.

"You've been given a few days off, to spend some time with your family. But we're going to have to sort something out about the diversion – with the reflection gone it's going to be a lot more difficult."

"I've had something in mind about that." Valkyrie muttered quietly.

"Mmm. Well, I'll call you when you're due back in. We'll sort everything else out later. For now, just enjoy some proper time off. Oh, and because you were supposed to be in school this year we had someone grade you based on the reflection's studies. Congratulations, you passed with flying colours." Valkyrie rolled her eyes.

"Well obviously. I'm amazing."

"You learned from the best."

"Since when have I ever learned math from you?"

"Plenty of times. You count all the bad guys in a room before you take them down, right?"

"Skulduggery that's basic addition."

"Taught by me, with makes it brilliant." Valkyrie rolled her eyes again, and as they drove up the drive, the headlights reflected off the front door. Valkyrie saw it open, and her mum appear in the doorway. Skulduggery parked the car and turned off the engine.

"I'll get your bags. Pretend I'm from the school."

"What? Like a chauffer?"

"Just leave the talking to me." He got out of the car, and so did Valkyrie, who wasted no time in running up to her mum and throwing her arms around her neck in a tight embrace. She heard the boot open behind her as Skulduggery fetched her bag, but at that moment all she could focus on was the warmth of her mum's arms wrapped around her contrasting to the cold night air that made her breath come out in wisps of white. C'mon, wasn't it supposed to be summer? What was up with the weather?

She let go of her mum as she sensed Skulduggery stand next to her. He put the bag down on the ground gently.

"Who's this Steph?" Her mum asked, looking at him slightly suspiciously – Valkyrie wasn't surprised, a strange man driving her daughter home in a vintage car?

"Fredrick Smith, ma'am." Skulduggery replied smoothly, holding out his hand to shake hers. She let him. "The school hired me to drive Miss Edgely home. I hope the lateness of the evening wasn't an inconvenience?"

"Not at all." Melissa replied, slightly warily.

"Well, I'll bid you goodbye. Enjoy your evening, ma'am, Miss Edgely." And that was it, he turned, got into the Bentley, and left.

"He wasn't strange with you was he?" Melissa asked seriously. Valkyrie grinned.

"No, Fred was alright. He's quite a chatterbox actually." Melissa laughed uneasily.

"Yes well, you're home, and that's all that matters. Come in, before you catch your death of cold." Valkyrie picked up her bag and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. She hugged her mum again.

"I was so worried about you," she whispered quietly. She felt her mum's hand brush her hair gently and her lips pressed lightly against Valkyrie's forehead.

"I was worried about you too, darling. But we're all ok. And you're back."

"Is dad home?" She didn't dare add 'from the hospital'. Melissa nodded.

"He's waiting for you in our bedroom. He said he wanted to see you but he was practically falling asleep on the couch – it's these new pills they've got him on, they make him drowsy. I knew he wouldn't make it up the stairs if he was that tired, so I made him go up. We should all be getting to bed anyway. You can tell us all about school in the morning, alright?"

"Sounds great." Valkyrie smiled, and her mother ushered her upstairs towards their bedroom. She knocked on the door first, and when a tired grunt answered her, her heart began to pound in her chest. How bad would it be? This pain she'd inflicted on her own father? She opened the door, saw him sitting up in bed, grinning with his eyes half-closed.

"Is that my Steph?"

"Hi Dad." Valkyrie said, and her legs gave way a little bit underneath her. He looked exactly as he had when she'd last seen him. Except, more tired. She walked over to the side of the bed and hugged him, and was relieved when he lifted up his arms and hugged her back tightly.

"How've you been?" She asked him, trying not to let her voice break.

"Oh you know, takes more than a dodgy leg to stop me." He said with a tired grin, and Valkyrie felt a pang in her chest.

"Desmond, maybe it's time to let Steph go to bed. We'll all talk in the morning." Desmond let go of her and sighed.

"I suppose. Don't start telling stories without me though. I'll bet you've got some big ones after this year."

"Yeah," Valkyrie said in a breath "you're not wrong."

"Goodnight Steph,"

"'Night dad."

"Good night love."

"'Night mum." Valkyrie walked upstairs to one of the other bedrooms. It was the bedroom she'd always stayed in as a child when she slept over at Gordon's. It was big, spacious and comfortable whilst maintaining the ancient look of the whole house. Valkyrie took out her phone and texted Skulduggery.

Fredrick Smith? Really? That was smooth.

She got changed into her pyjamas as the phone buzzed.

I completely agree – I played the role brilliantly.

How long did it take you to fully txt the word 'brilliantly'?

Another buzz.

Shut up.